Numerous conventional livestock feeders, deer feeders, bird feeders, and pet feed dispensers are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Most of these devices operate by gravity or in a rotary manner, and dispense, either on-demand or in a timed manner, bulk feed items, pellets, or seeds to animals in proximity to the devices.
For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0191486 to Mishler discloses a feeder that dispenses bulk feed items from multiple bins using, in one case, a single, moving solenoid release mechanism. This device, however, operates by gravity. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0145365 to Mahle et al. discloses a pet pantry that includes a feed dispensing mechanism that operates manually through the use of a vertically-oriented, linearly-actuated spring mechanism that does not isolate the feed from pests.
Prior disclosed apparatuses are subject to clogging/jamming by the animal feed. None of the prior art disclosures describe an animal feeder that suitably isolates the feed from pests. Nor do the prior art disclosures describe an animal feeder wherein the feed-contacting parts can be readily removed by the operator for cleaning.